Fuel systems in modern internal combustion engines commonly inject fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. The fuel injector includes a nozzle body which is inserted into a fuel injector receiving bore of the internal combustion engine along a nozzle body axis. In order to achieve optimal combustion of the fuel provided by the fuel injector, thereby maximizing fuel efficiency and minimizing harmful exhaust emissions, it is known to orient the fuel injector relative to the combustion chamber in such a way that is most conducive of achieving optimal combustion. One known way to orient the fuel injector is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,717 to Rettig et al. where the fuel injector is provided with a fixation device which is received within a recess of the internal combustion engine which limits the extent to which the nozzle body is able to rotate within the fuel injector receiving bore. The fixation device of Rettig et al. is a feature which is formed in a plastic injection molding process with a valve housing of the fuel injector. In arrangements such as Rettig et al., the fixation device is designed to provide a clearance fit with the recess in order to accommodate for manufacturing variations when forming the fixation device. This clearance fit allows for some rotation of the fuel injector about the nozzle body axis, thereby resulting in variations in how the spray from the fuel injector is introduced into the combustion chamber. As a result, the spray from the fuel injector may not be optimally placed in the combustion chamber which may lead to reduced fuel economy and increased harmful exhaust emissions.
What is needed is a fuel injector which minimizes or eliminates one or more of the shortcomings as set forth above.